Getting rid of new pre seasoned Lodge crud

[swtgran]

I know others on the web, have experienced black stuff on their food, from new Lodge cast iron cookware.

I have read some people believe it is food that has not been properly cleaned off. I know my cookware was cleaned appropriately.

I finally decided to call Lodge and find out what the problem is, with their pre seasoned cookware. I was told it is the cooking grade oil, they spray the cast iron with. It is perfectly normal. With regular use it could take up to two or more years, before the coating stops leaching off the cook ware into your food.

I do not find a fried egg that looks like it has been cooked in motor oil, acceptable, so I decided to see if I could remedy the situation without completely stripping the cookware.

I put about a cup of white vinegar into one of the skillets, I was trying to fix. Then I filled it completely with water and boiled it about 10 minutes. Let it cool a bit, dipped out the water, until I could easily dump it. Rubbed it several times with coarse salt, until salt was becoming less black. Wiped salt out, put on stove and heated it until completely dry and warm. Got some oil and paper towels, and start wiping it. Wiped out as much oil as I possibly could. Rag or paper towel will be black. Just keep oiling and wiping warm pan, reheating as neccessary, until towels or rag are no longer black with Lodge crud.

Then I coated very warm inside, with an almost invisible amount of oil. I heated it until there was barely a sign of smoke for a few minutes. I let it cool and repeated 3 times.

Looks great, fries the perfect egg, as good as any nonstick. Best of all, no black slime or flecks on my egg whites.

I have never had a problem with any antique cast iron or new un seasoned cookware, just new Lodge pre seasoned stuff.

Of course you could just strip it and re season anew. I did nothing to the outside and will care for it now, as I do my other pieces. Terry

[Vintage465]

That's great info. I wasn't aware of an issue with Lodge as I haven't purchase myself a new skillet for some time now

[rosspulliam]

K Charles wrote:
I got a cast iron pan from my step daughter. She knew I liked them and thought more was better. I already have a few favorites, one from my grandfather. Anyway I hit it with a sanding disc on a die grinder then a buffing pad. Washed it with soap and water, wiped it with Crisco and left it in the oven on low for 3 hrs.
It came out better then I expected and eggs slide around in it now.
I don't know where the pan came from but not only did they put stuff on it, it was as ruff as a gravel road.

At least I'm not the only one that takes sanding discs on a die grinder to new cast iron. New castings are terribly rough.

[filrupmark]

I bought some preseasoned cast iron cookware in the early 80's . Food tasted terrible. After about a year or two I finally put it in the oven at about 450degrees for a few hours. That helped a lot. I like Little Kopits idea. I still have most of it today. That bad flavor finally went away.

[GordonThree]

Next time you have a campfire, throw it in the coals... that heat isn't going to hurt the iron but it should burn off any kind of coating that's on there.

[K_Charles]

I got a cast iron pan from my step daughter. She knew I liked them and thought more was better. I already have a few favorites, one from my grandfather. Anyway I hit it with a sanding disc on a die grinder then a buffing pad. Washed it with soap and water, wiped it with Crisco and left it in the oven on low for 3 hrs.
It came out better then I expected and eggs slide around in it now.
I don't know where the pan came from but not only did they put stuff on it, it was as ruff as a gravel road.

[Lwiddis]

Lodge is making big mistake. Most would give up.

[Little_Kopit]

Find someone with a self-cleaning cycle on their oven.

Put this pan in that oven turn it to the self cleaning cycle and follow instructions for that. Make sure to put your pan in the oven cool. & make sure to leave it in that oven after the self cleaning cycle until it is completely at room temperature.

:C